Porsche 911 GT2 Upgrades Toward The Exotic Car League
Porsche's 911 GT2 shows just how much Porsche can squeeze out of its fantastic engines. With a turbo engine upgraded to 530 bhp, the GT2 can compete with many an exotic car, and takes Porsche's regular production models to new heights. Like previous GT2, it has rear-drive instead of four-wheel drive.
Performance goes to new heights: 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, and a top speed of over 200 mph – Porsche quotes 204 mph, almost equal the top speed of the Porsche Carrera GT.
This time, the GT2 really looks the part, with a wide air intake at the front, with a smaller one each side, and a large fixed rear two-level wing. The racing credentials of the GT2 are immediately apparent.
Highly-turbocharged engine with new concept
Based on the 3.6 liter flat-six, - the 3.8 liter job is too big for some racing regulations – the new engine has been modified to get more power and reduce weight. It uses the same concept as the 911 Turbo with variable inlet vanes in the turbo to give a wide spread of power. To increase the power output, the GT2, gets bigger turbochargers.
That is not all: Porsche has adopted what it calls an expansion type intake manifold, which uses the oscillating air in the intake manifold during the firing stroke to cool the air charge. During this part of the cycle, the valve is closed, so the air is cooler.
This unique approach to turbo engine design reduces air temperature, raising efficiency. The result is more power, and owing to the improved efficiency of the engine, 15% lower fuel consumption at full load. A really cool development, this.
In addition, air flow through the intake and exhaust systems has been improved, and the engine gets higher boost pressures.
To reduce weight, the exhaust silencers and tailpipes are made from titanium. The systems now weighs half the old one at just 20 lb (9kg).
Porsche 911 GT2 engine, 147 bhp per liter
The new engine produces 530 bhp (390 kW) at 6,500 rpm 147 bhp per liter, which is a very high indeed specific output and a huge amount of torque: 501 lbft (680 Nm) maintained consistently between 2,200 and 4,500 rpm. This is about 10% more than the 911 Turbo, and a lot of torque for an engine of only 3.6 liters. The result is masses of power at almost any speed.
Drive is taken to the rear wheels through Porsche's latest six-speed manual box. To stop the GT2 from the high speeds it can attain, Porsche's ceramic-carbon fiber brake discs are standard, and there are 19-inch wheels and tires. The tires are 235/35 ZR 19 at the front and 325/30 ZR at the rear – the rear tires are just a little wider than on the previous model.
To improve control with this very powerful rear-engined car, you get the Porsche stability system as standard. Porsches are usually fairly light, but out of the lightweight league of exotic cars, and the Porsche 911 GT2 is no exception: it weighs 3,170 lb (1,440 kg), which is very good for an all-steel car. For example, it weighs 266 lb (120 kg) less than the new Audi R8, which has an aluminum frame, although to be fair, GT2s usually have pretty spartan trim levels.
Even so, you get a fine instrument set with the rev-counter in the middle five dials in all – and a navigation system is available.
Despite that light exhaust system, the car weighs 44 lb (20 kg) more than the old model, but owing to the extra 47 bhp 50 bhp more than the Porsche 911 Turbo – the new GT2 has a power-to-weight ratio of 368 bhp per tonne, which is up there with the Lamborghini Gallardo, but not the Superleggera. All in all, a remarkable addition to ever-increasing range of Porsche supercars.